Film Fest comes to the Tannery

The drama ‘Forbidden Cuba,’ the first feature film shot on location in Cuba since the 1959 revolution, tells the story of an American businessman discovering the beauty of the island nation. It’s part of the opening program at the Santa Cruz Film Festival Thursday. Promotional photo

A documentary on composer and electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani titled ‘A Life In Waves’ is part of this year’s Santa Cruz Film Festival. Promotional photo

The Tannery Arts Center is the place to be for cinephiles this weekend as the Santa Cruz Film Festival presents a variety of documentary and narrative feature films and shorts in three venues, including the Colligan Theater, across four days.

This year’s festival includes the Indian film “The Cinema Travelers,” which won the Cannes Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as the narrative drama “Forbidden Cuba,” which claims to be the first feature-length film shot on location in Cuba from foreign filmmakers since the 1959 revolution. Jennifer Townsend’s documentary on the lasting effect of the film “Thelma & Louise” will be accompanied by a free screening of “Thelma & Louise.”

It will also include a live performance of the musical saw to accompany a film about legendary Santa Cruz saw player Tom Scribner. And – fittingly, on Friday the 13th – the festival will include a narrative shorts program, introduced by the granddaughter of Alfred Hitchcock.

Santa Cruz County filmmakers who will feature their work in the SCFF include Reagan Brashear, Ben Judkins, Davis Banta, Lucas Bonetti and Ryan Gallagher.